This painting came about in an accidental way. A study on tracing paper that I fold in half becomes an upside down uterus in my forehead. I move the ovarian shapes into the circle of my eyes to reflect the vision shift of menopause.

Where I have put the uterus is the location of the third eye, the energy center for insight and intuition. It is also the location of the pituitary and hypothalamus glands responsible for the hormonal signals that prompt change throughout a woman's cycle. Menopause marks the end of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. When this happens there is a severe reduction in the amount of estrogen--a hormone known to affect some 300 different body functions, especially the heart and bones. Reproductive, skeletal and circulatory systems are on my mind as I absorb all this information.

The fear of heart attack and osteoporosis has been put in me, yet I still choose not to go on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)--the medically recommended treatment for women at the time. My choice (and gamble) is to use yoga, nutrition, supplements, and exercise to keep me healthy.

Tampering with women's bodies, women's hormones and women's fertility proceeds relentlessly. Even though I research medical and holistic options, I want to use my own body as source of knowledge.